Poultry feeder



Patented Apr. 17, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE.

LMER S. WEST, MAYSLICK, KENTUCKY.

POULTRY 'FEEDER Application led March 8, 1927. Serial No. 173,713.

This inventionv relates to poultry feeders and has for its primary Object the production of a device of this character, which is so constructed that the waste of feed by the fowls is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having a collecting base into which the major portion of'feed thrown from thehopper sections by the lfowls in seeking for choice morsels among the feed in the hopper will be de'- lected and stored.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character wherein the collecting base servesas a support, elevating the hopper to the proper height to prevent litter being thrown thereinto by the fowls and the base is removable, so that the collected feedr may be readily returned to the hopper.

A still further objectof the invention is to provide means for distributing the feed delivered to the collecting base, so that it will not pile up and obstruct the entrance of further feed thereto.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which has a protecting hood, preventing deiiling of thev contents thereof which may be moved to a position preventing access Yto the hopper either by the fowls 'or by rodents.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown inthe accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of il lustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is ay vertical sectional view' through a poultry feeder constructed in accordance with my invention, the sealing flange being indicated in the dotted position.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section taken through the hopper on the line 2 2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a detail view showing the manner of retaining the sealing flange in elevated position.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the feeder structure includes a circular hopper pan 10Uand a hopper v11 associated therewith, which is preferably liketion a frustro-co'nical wise circular and of lessdiameter than the 55 pan 10 Arranged outwardly of the side wall 12 of the hopper pan and concentric with thisy outer wall is a false pan wall 13, the lower end of which preferably extends slightly below the lower surface of the pan o0 bottom. Secured to the lower end vof the wallof' the hopper, the pan 10 and false pan wall 13 are'radially extending partitions 14, which extend through slots formed in the side wall 12 of the pan. These partitionsV 65 hold the hopper pan and false pan Wallin adjusted relation and maintain the bottomr edge of the wall of the hopper in spaced rela-` v tion to Ithe bottom of the pan, so that feed introduced to the hopper may pass into the space between the outer face of 'the' wall of 5" the hopper and the wall 12 of the pan.

`These partition walls likewise serve as a'V means for supporting and securing in posi-Q deflector ring 15, which overlies the upper edge of the outer i wall 12 in spaced relation thereto and hasl Vits upper edgevarra'nged above the level of f the upper edge of thc-outer false wall, which extends slightly above the level of the pan so wall 12, and its lower outer edge arranged below the level of this outer Wall. As at present disclosed, the means for securing the partitions 111 to the remaining elements comprises tabs 16 formed on the edges of the S5 partitions against which these elements abut' and extended through slots formed in the elements and then bent. Any other suitable means may, however, be employed Afor mak?. ing the necessary connections.

The numeral 17 designates a collecting base in the form of a pan, the side Walls 18` of which tclescopically interiorly engage-the lower end of the outer false wall 13. Ad-A' jacent its lower end, the outer false wall 13 9a has secured thereto at the inner face thereof the larger or baseedge of a frustro-'conical deflector ange 19V against which the wall 18 engages to limit downward movement of the outer false wall and accordingly of the ho 100 per structureinto the collecting base. T e numeral 20 designates a frusto-conical hood slidable upon the hopper 11 from a point intermediate the ends thereof toV a point Y gage against the under surface of the defleeting ring 15 and be directed thereby into the annular space 24 between the wall 12 and the outerfalse wall 13. Through this space, it will fall against the defiector flange 19 and be directed thereby against the center of the collecting basel?. It is pointed out that the flange 19, lby deflecting this feed toward the center ofthis base, permits a. considerably increased quantity of feed to be collected in the base before the base can be emptied. The feed generally placed in these hoppers is L what is known as mash and consists of a ground mixture of food stuffs, the particles of which are very light and have av tendency tooling to one another. If the .feed were permitted to dropstraight to the bottom of the base 17, it would soon pile up until it tended to close the bottom of the space 24 and thus render the base inoperative for the collection of further feed, 'lhese particles of feed thrown over the upper inner edge of the ring, unless given a considerable impulse, will fall upon the upper surface of this ring and` pass between the outer edge of the ring and the wallv 13 into the space 24. When the hopper is not in use, and at night,

the hood V20 maybe dropped to the position indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1, at which time, it serves to seal the hopper and prevent access of k,rodents or of theV fowls thereto. Y

Thezhood 20 further serves toassistin the prevention of deiiling of the contents of the hopper and this is further assisted-by the conical `cap 23 employed at the upper end of the hopper, which affords no, surface upon which a fowl may roost. be made of desired depth and will maintain the feeding sections of the hopper at such a Vheight, that the ventrance of litter thereto is prevented, without the necessity of provid ,ing a special base therefor. Additional supports 25 for the deliector ring 15 are provided, these supports being arranged interl mediate the Partitions 14.

Since the construction hereinbefore set .forth iscapable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except y as hereinafter claimed.V

l claim The base 17 can Y 1. In a poultry feeder, the combination with a structure including a hopper, a pan into which the hopper discharges, a wall surrounding the outer pan wall in spaced relation thereto, of a collecting base supporting said structure and with which the space between saidwall and the pan wall communicat/es and means upon said wall deflecting materialpassing downwardly through said space toward the center of the collecting base, the collecting base telescopically interiorly engaging said wall, said means likewise constituting aV stop limiting downward movement of the wall upon the base.

2. In a poultry feeder, the combination with a structure including a hopper, a pan into which the hopper discharges, a wal surrounding the outer pan wall in spaced relation thereto, of a collecting base support` ing said structure and with. which the space between said wall and thepan wall communicates, and a deflector ring included in said structure and overlying the upper surface of the pan wallY in spaced relation thereto and detlecting materials iinpinging thereagainst downwardly and outwardly into the space between-said walls.

3. In a poultry feeder, the combination with a structure including ahopper, a pan into which the hopper discharges, a wall surrounding the outer pan wall in spaced relation thereto, of a collecting base supporting said structure and with which the space between said wall and the pan wall communi- Cates, aV deiiector ring included in said structure and overlying the upper surface of the pan wall in spaced relation thereto and deflecting materials impinging thereagainst into the space between said walls, and means upon said wall deiiecting material passing downwardly through said space toward the center of the collecting base.

4. ln a poultry feeder, the combination with a structure including a hopper, a pan into which the hopper discharges, a wall surrounding the outer pan `wall in spaced relation thereto, of a collecting base supporting said structure and with which the space between said wall and the pan lwall communiv cates, a deflector ring included in'said structure and overlying the upper surface of the pan wall in spaced relation thereto and deflecting materials impinging thereagainst into the space between said walls, and Ameans upon said wall deflecting material passing downwardly through said space toward the center of the collecting-base, the collecting base. telescopically interiorly engaging said wall, said means likewise constituting a stop limiting downward movement of the wall upon the base.`

5. In a poultryrfeeder, the combination with a structureincluding a hopper, a pan into which the hopper discharges, a wall surrounding the outer pan wall in spaced relation thereto, of a collecting base supporting to the space between said Walls, and radially said structure and with which the space beextending partitions W1thin said pan securtWeen said Wall and the pan Wall communi ing the pan, the hopper, the outer Wall and 10 y i Cates, a deflector ring included in said structhe defiector ring to one another.

5 ture and overlying the upper surface of the In testimony whereof I hereunto aix my pan Wall in spaced relation thereto and designature. fleeting materials impinging thereaga-inst in- ELMER S. WEST. 

